Simple Family-friendly Thanksgiving Traditions

The time between Halloween and the winter holidays can be chaotic. Thanksgiving often becomes an afterthought, a “How did this sneak up on me?” sort of holiday. It is easy to understand why. As soon as the candy has been handed out on October 31, the holiday music, ads, and store decorations appear.

But gratitude and pausing to focus on the blessings of life are important! This year, think about adding a new focus to your Thanksgiving Day celebration. Begin your own family tradition. This can give Thanksgiving a new special meaning.

Julie Fraley, a mother to two school-aged children, was looking for an affordable decoration years ago. She decided to “make a centerpiece by getting a branch from the yard and putting it in a vase. Then I cut out leaves from colored construction paper and put string on each one.” Fraley shares that this decoration has become an annual tradition in her family. Each person at the table “has to take a few leaves, write their name and date on one side, and what they are thankful for on the other side, then hang them on our ‘Tree of Thankfulness’ in the center of the table.” Fraley then saves the leaves each year and reads ones from prior years during the meal.

The tree also serves as a way to record your children’s growth. As Fraley recalls, “I used to write for them when they were little. Now they are getting older and their leaves are growing with them—more thought out and expressive.”

Use an inexpensive plain tablecloth and a few pens to record your family’s blessings each Thanksgiving. Start by lining your table with either butcher paper or newspaper to protect the tabletop. Then, drape the tablecloth on top. Pass around a permanent marker during the meal. Guests can write or draw a picture of what they are thankful for. Then, they can add their name and the year. Be sure to help little ones, so that their marker drawings stay on the tablecloth.

Use colorful markers to make the tablecloth look festive. Be sure to tell everyone to only write over a small portion of the fabric. When the meal is done, you can use the tablecloth during family gatherings as a way to remind yourselves to be grateful. Then, when Thanksgiving comes again, bring out the tablecloth and add your blessings for the new year. By making it a yearly tradition, you’ll have a very special tablecloth to use each year.

There is no better way to feel truly blessed than to serve someone else in need. Whitney Ingram, a mom to three young children, explains, “When I was younger, my mom would talk to someone at church who was in charge of humanitarian projects and service projects. She would get a project for us to do before and after Thanksgiving dinner.”

Even small children can understand the idea of helping others. Ingram recalls that even as a young child, “I always liked the concept of us giving back after we [had] been given so much.”

Consider joining a “Turkey Trot.” Or, create your own Thanksgiving morning run or walk together as a family. Many towns and cities host family-friendly races on Thanksgiving morning that also include “Tot Trots.” Sometimes they have one-mile walks that are fun for the whole family. These runs usually support a nonprofit or charitable cause. Getting up and being active together as a family can help remind you to be thankful for just being healthy. It also can help start the biggest day of eating of the year on a healthful note. As you walk or run, you can even reflect on the year and express gratitude.

No matter what tradition your family chooses for your Thanksgiving Day celebration, anything can help create a sense of community and belonging among your guests. Ingram remembers about the service projects she and her family completed, “that they always had us sitting around the living room together, chatting and laughing and having a good time. Isn’t that always how service goes?”

Simple things done in a mindful way can help make Thanksgiving a special moment on your holiday calendar. Breaking a wishbone or counting your blessings out-loud are great ways to celebrate.